The present invention is directed generally to an improved medicated shampoo composition for treating various scalp disorders or conditions. More particularly, the present application is directed to a medicated shampoo composition containing a safe and effective combination of pharmacologically active ingredients, including between approximately 0.1% but less than approximately 0.5% by weight of a hydrocortisone in combination with between approximately 2.5% but less than approximately 5.0% by weight of colloidal sulfur.
Significant proportions of the population are afflicted with various scalp disorder conditions, including but not limited to flaking, scaling, dandruff, psoriasis, eczema, seborrhea and others. In treating such conditions it is desirable to avoid sticky, gooey, gummy, greasy preparations, which may be appropriate for application to other parts of the body which may be concealed either by clothing or a bandage, as such compositions are unattractive in that they would affect the usual or normal appearance of the hair. Also, such compositions would have a tendency to rub off on anything touched by the hair. Accordingly, periodic application of an effective ingredient for treatment of such conditions in the form of a shampoo has been desirable.
In formulating a suitable combination of ingredients for treating such scalp disorder conditions, it has been necessary that such compositions be both safe and effective. Some proposed combinations of ingredients have been safe (i.e., would not cause undesirable side effects in the patient), but have not been effective against the above scalp disorder conditions. Other proposed combinations of ingredients in the prior art have made substantial progress toward treating the above scalp conditions, but have caused various undesirable side effects.
Also various proposed prior art compositions have utilized ingredients which were unstable in combination, and which led to a very short shelf life for the combined mixture. Such short shelf life has led to significant problems and has limited the channels of distribution to those of prescription medications to be produced on an individual basis. This necessary method of production for such prior art compositions has unnecessarily increased the cost to the consumer, and sometimes to prohibitive levels.
It is therefore an object of the medicated shampoo composition of the present invention to alleviate materially these disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art.